For herself? Of course not. It was all for her daughter, wasn’t it?
Whose hair had become the talk of the whole country? Whose
chances of landing a really powerful match are up a hundred
times? Who is going to be the most talked about bride in a year
or two? The princess, or (giggle giggle) she herself?
But the Queen knows her little pet. She is sure her dear daughter
understands her mother’s pain and her mother’s concern for her.
After all, this daughter is all that she has, and how can she ever
do anything that will harm her only little pigeon-widgeon?
So where did the Princess get the idea that she did not like her
long hair? Who was poisoning her brain with ideas? Obviously
there had to be someone. Otherwise, how could a perfectly good
little girl suddenly start believing she did not like the gorgeous
silver hand-cart that followed her everywhere, carrying her hair?
Where did she get the idea that she wanted to run around like
common servants’ children? No, wait, what was it she said? Run
around ‘freely’ – just imagine, she believes she wants to run
around, and ‘freely’ on top of that! Princesses don’t run around
freely. That is for common people – a servant thing. Worse, a
street-scum thing. Princesses enjoy the fuss around them – that’s
what makes them special. That’s what makes them princesses,
didn’t she know?
No, turns out she didn’t. She had her heart fixed on this absolutely
stupid and dangerous idea of running around freely. It was just
sheer luck she did not mention this to the Queen, or God forbid,
to His Majesty. Just think what kind of disasters could have
happened. She talked only to Panchafula, the barber woman, and
Panchafula shushed her up at once. Nipped the whole thing in the
bud, phew!
But evidently the Princess was a clever little bitch. The scrawny git
acted all shushed up till the hair-festival was over, and then, on
the night after the last guest left, she left the palace. Just like that.
No one noticed. Everyone was exhausted and asleep – His
Majesty, the Queen, Panchafula the barber woman, the slave
women, the guards, everyone. No one saw the thin little Princess,
followed by the heavy silver cart (It was actually a wooden cart
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